May 5, 2017

Wordology, Graffiti

Both "graffiti" and its
occasional singular form "graffito" are from the Italian word
graffiato 'scratched'. The term graffiti originally
referred to the inscriptions, figure drawings, etc., found on the
walls of ancient sepulchers or ruins, such as the Catacombs of
Rome. Use of the word has evolved to include any graphics applied
to surfaces in a manner that usually constitutes vandalism.

Graffiti are writing
or drawings that have been scribbled, scratched, or painted,
mostly illicitly on a wall or other surface, often within public
view. Graffiti range from simple written words to elaborate wall
paintings, and have existed since ancient times, with examples
dating back to Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and the Roman
Empire.